CRI听力: EU Assisting China's Path Towards Sustainable Development

The Copenhagen climate conference is only weeks away, and China is expected to play a part in combating global climate change by increasing energy efficiency, and diversifying its energy sources. One of the main goals of the new climate conference is the promotion of sustainable development, which ties together social improvement, environmental protection, and economic development.

Larry Chen reports on how the European Union and China are working together to guide China on a path of sustainable development.

The partnership between the European Union and China on improving the environment and combating global climate change extends not only to government agencies but also to public and private enterprises.(www.hXen.com)

One of the most important outcomes of the Kyoto Protocol was the establishment of the Clean Development Mechanism, or CDM, which enables developed and developing nations to work together to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The EU-China CDM program will continue to guide China's path to sustainable development through policy research, capacity building, technical exchange, and training activities.

Serge Abou, Ambassador of the European Commission Delegation to China, says both sides have benefited greatly from the exchanges.

"On the European side, our domestic emissions trading system is by far the largest carbon market in the world with about 60 billion euros of transaction in 2008. China now has a 60-percent overall market share of CDM credits. Most of them are bought by European companies in order to comply by our emissions trading system. Together, we are therefore the biggest player in the first world attempt to create a market mechanism for tackling climate change. The CDM could be regarded as the first step for China in participating in the international carbon market."

Analysts say China now has the greatest number of Clean Development Mechanism projects, accounting for about a third of the world's total. They estimate that the projects have reduced carbon emissions by 190 million tons.

Sun Cuihua, Deputy Director General of the Climate Change Division of China's National Development and Reform Commission, says China is making major progress in diversifying its energy sources.

"The share of renewable energy in the total amount of energy produced in China has reached nine percent. We rank first in the world in hydroelectric and solar power output, and the fourth in wind energy output."

The European Union is credited with working as an advisor to government agencies and supporting research and technology transfers to China. Individual countries and companies from Europe are also making their mark in the new low carbon development market.

Mikael Lindstrom, Sweden's Ambassador to China, says his country and its companies are playing a significant role in helping China achieve sustainable development.

"In the city of Chongqing, we are helping the city to take restaurant waste, about 150 tons everyday. If you visualize 150 tons, you realize how many trucks that is of food waste and to make it into bio-gas. In the city of Wuhan, we are helping the city to take sludge. When you clean water from water purification plants, you have one of the waste products: sludge. And that you can also make bio-gas out of it to use in the city's buses."

The level of commitment between China and the European Union on sustainable development is expected to grow as many European officials are hoping that China will join its carbon cap-and-trade market by 2020.

Larry Chen, CRI News.